In a principal aspect the present invention relates to a tool which may be utilized to disconnect coupled tubing of the type commonly used in the automotive industry particularly transmission cooler lines in certain vehicles.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,455,995 entitled “Tool for Uncoupling Quick Connect Tubular Couplings”, there is disclosed a tool which is useful to disconnect tubular coupling constructions, for example, couplings of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,359. Also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,359 is a tool which may be used for disconnecting such coupling arrangements. The invention claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,455,995 is an improved disconnect tool which is useful for disconnecting couplings of various sizes.
More recently in U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,862 B1 entitled “Tubular Disconnect Tool with Angled Semi-Annular Heads” there is disclosed another type of tool which is useful for disconnecting or decoupling tubing connections. U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,862 B1 is incorporated herewith by reference. In this patent, there is disclosed the utilization of first and second pivotally joined arms which are biased by a separate elastic member to cause the two arms to come together so that the semi-cylindrical head mounted on the end of each arm may fit over a tube and then be engaged with a tube coupler in a manner which will effect decoupling. This patent teaches that there should be an angular relationship between the decoupling tube engagement end of the tool and the pivoting, connection leg of the tool. The two legs of the tool are individually molded from a polymeric material and biased toward one another by an elastic band wrapped around the legs.
While such a device has worked successfully, there are environmental problems which potentially affect this tool. That is, an elastic member such as a rubber band is utilized to cause the separate jaws or legs of the tool to be biased toward one another. The rubber tends to degrade in a workplace environment and, as a result, the tool may be difficult to manipulate or may fail to achieve its intended function. For these and other reasons, an improved decoupling tool has been sought.